HOPE IN THE LORD

Passage: Psalm 25:1-22

Key verse: 21

NIV

Psalm 25[a]
Of David.

1 In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.(A)

2 I trust in you;(B)
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,(C)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous(D) without cause.

4 Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.(E)
5 Guide me in your truth(F) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,(G)
    and my hope is in you(H) all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(I)
    for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth(J)
    and my rebellious ways;(K)
according to your love(L) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.(M)

8 Good and upright(N) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs(O) sinners in his ways.
9 He guides(P) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(Q) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(R)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(S)
11 For the sake of your name,(T) Lord,
    forgive(U) my iniquity,(V) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(W)
    He will instruct them in the ways(X) they should choose.[b]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(Y)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(Z)
14 The Lord confides(AA) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(AB) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(AC)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(AD)

16 Turn to me(AE) and be gracious to me,(AF)
    for I am lonely(AG) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(AH) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(AI)
18 Look on my affliction(AJ) and my distress(AK)
    and take away all my sins.(AL)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(AM)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(AN)

20 Guard my life(AO) and rescue me;(AP)
    do not let me be put to shame,(AQ)
    for I take refuge(AR) in you.
21 May integrity(AS) and uprightness(AT) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,[c] is in you.(AU)

22 Deliver Israel,(AV) O God,
    from all their troubles!

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
  3. Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Teach Me Your Paths

[a] Of David.

25 To you, O Lord, I (A)lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I (B)trust;
    (C)let me not be put to shame;
    (D)let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, (E)none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
    they shall be ashamed who are (F)wantonly (G)treacherous.

4 (H)Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your (I)truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.

6 Remember your (J)mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
    (K)for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not (L)the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your (M)steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

8 (N)Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he (O)instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are (P)steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For your (Q)name's sake, O Lord,
    pardon my guilt, for it is (R)great.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
    Him (S)will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 His soul shall (T)abide in well-being,
    and his (U)offspring (V)shall inherit the land.
14 (W)The friendship[b] of the Lord is for those who fear him,
    and he makes known to them his covenant.
15 My (X)eyes are ever toward the Lord,
    for he will (Y)pluck my feet out of the net.

16 (Z)Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
    bring me out of my distresses.
18 (AA)Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes,
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
    (AB)Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you.

22 (AC)Redeem Israel, O God,
    out of all his troubles.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
  2. Psalm 25:14 Or The secret counsel
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The psalmist puts his hope in the Lord. This involves two specific things according to this psalm. One is repentance. The other is to follow God’s decrees. Because of our sins, we are filled with shame and despair. But when we repent and turn to God, we find that he is faithful and will forgive us and remove our shame. Through repentance, we can be free of our continual life of sin and despair.

Next, through following God’s ways, we begin to live a disciplined life. We grow in integrity. We prosper in whatever we do. Our hope in God becomes stronger and clearer. Hope in the Lord becomes an anchor for our soul and protects us during the trials and temptations of life (21). In the end, we are delivered from all our troubles and live eternally.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us real hope in Jesus and your kingdom which is forever. Please help me to repent my sins and follow your way by faith.

One Word: Put my hope in the Lord